Operation Bring Back Christmas
by NCIS Obsession
Summary: Gibbs is spewing gloom all over Christmas cheeriness! Someone needs to step in, so Vance takes the challenge. He presents a solution to Gibbs' Christmastime grumpiness with high hopes. Will forcing Gibbs to participate in Christmas with his team actually bring about a change to the old agent's Christmas Spirit? Some Tiva and McAbby. Set in season 9 or so. Obviously a Christmas fic.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello, dear readers! Since last year's NCISanta fanfic was a success (hooray!) I've decided to make it a yearly thing (hopefully). I can't speak for future Christmases, but this one certainly will have a Christmas fic by me_ _. So welcome—welcome one and all to my second annual NCIS Christmas fanfiction!_

 _I'm starting early so I have time to write. Finals are coming up, but then I have winter break, which is when I wrote last year's fic. Anyway, let's introduce this thing…_

 _I have no clue how many chapters this will be. More than two for sure. We'll see how it goes. I'm attempting to combine two great plot-bunnies into one fic, so it will be interesting._

 _Setting: This is set before Gibbs' crazy "makeover" in season 13, so say, season 9. The good ol' days. In this fic McAbby is already established, they are dating again, and Tiva is not yet dating but they definitely have unspoken feelings for each other. I will fit as much Tiva and McAbby as I can into this fic. I_ _ **love**_ _them._

 _This will feature Gibbs. It's not quite a "Christmas Carol" thing, but he's definitely gonna get a reboot on his Christmas Spirit. All of the other characters will have their moment in due time, I promise._

 _TIVA / MCABBY / PAPA GIBBS / NCIS FAMILY – Don't like, don't read…unless you want to. But if you hate it because you hate Tiva or something, just don't review. This is for people that do like it._

 _Moving on…_

 _Without further ado…_

 _ **Operation Bring Back Christmas:**_ _Chapter One_

"Special Agent Gibbs," Vance called out from the balcony overlooking the squad room.

Everyone looked up from the annual holiday party that was taking place. It was still two weeks till Christmas, but since a majority of the employees worked that week, they decided on an earlier date to get it out of the way.

Vance had been watching for a while now. Many people wore ugly Christmas sweaters. He chuckled when he watched Tony showing off his light up one, Ziva laughing loudly and leaning comfortably against him. McGee had set up all of the televisions to show a crackling fireplace and fun holiday music played in the background. Vance liked to give his employees a time where they can have fun and socialize. In fact, NCIS was well known by the other government agencies for the best Christmas party. It wasn't unusual to have a few other people show up from the FBI or NSA. He could see just a few people that he recognized from joint cases dancing near the music booth. The song _Step into Christmas_ by Elton John was currently playing and Abby, decked out in a crazy Christmas outfit, was dancing to it with McGee by her side. Vance smiled. He would rejoin the party soon enough, but he enjoyed being able to see the smiles on people's faces.

From his perch high above the bullpen, his eyes moved across the sea of red Santa hats to see Gibbs at his desk, filling out paperwork. He furrowed his eyebrows and called out to him. The music stopped briefly and Gibbs stood from his chair, climbing the stairs in no hurry.

"Carry on," Vance nodded to the party below, which immediately resumed, except for Team Gibbs. They were all too curious to see what was happening.

The director ushered Gibbs into his office, prompting him to sit down. The music could still be heard through the door, but Vance ignored it.

"You mind telling me why you're such a Scrooge every year, Gibbs?" Vance accused.

Gibbs shrugged. "I don't do parties."

Vance rolled his eyes, "I've noticed," he said sarcastically, "but really, why can't you just enjoy this time with your team? It's one night, then you can go back to scowling at the Salvation Army and ripping beards off of Santa Clauses."

Gibbs chuckled. "I've got work to do."

"No, you don't. You cannot do paperwork at a Christmas party, that's an order, Gibbs. Go back down there and socialize." Vance said, slightly louder.

"I can't."

Vance sighed. "What am I going to do with you? Have some Christmas spirit, for goodness sake."

For a moment, there was silence. "I used to," Gibbs said quietly.

Vance didn't speak. He registered what Gibbs had just told him. Of course Christmas was a painful time of year for him. Every Christmas tree he looked at probably reminded him of the one his family used to decorate. Every mall Santa probably reminded him of Kelly's eagerness waiting in line to see Santa Claus. Every mistletoe probably reminded him of the one true love he had lost, Shannon. He couldn't imagine what he would do if suddenly his own family—Jackie, Kayla and Jared—were suddenly gone. He figured he'd probably be just like Gibbs, drinking bourbon in his basement alone on Christmas Eve.

He had to do something. This poor guy could not continue spewing gloom all over the cheeriness that was always present this time of year. His team had tried everything: inviting him to parties, movie watching nights, dinner at Ducky's place—it was time for him to step in and make an executive order. Granted, Gibbs would _not_ like it, but in the end Vance was confident that this would change him for the better.

Finally, he spoke. "Gibbs, I've made a decision. You cannot go on like this—isolating yourself during the holiday season. We have to do something about this. It's becoming a problem-"

"I don't like where this is going," Gibbs warned, rising from the chair.

"SIT DOWN Agent Gibbs," Vance said, raising his voice. Gibbs scoffed and sat. "I know you miss Shannon and Kelly, but this has gone on long enough. You need professional help."

"I am not going to see a psychologist if that is what you are implying-"

"You can get past this. I hate to see you wallowing around every darn year. As a friend I can't let this keep happening."

"It's none of your business anyway!" Gibbs shouted. He strode angrily toward the door.

Vance stood and walked to where Gibbs was standing out in the hall. "There is another option, but you'll hate me for it," he whispered.

Gibbs turned on him and gave him a cold stare. Most people would crumble in fear at that look, but not Vance. He'd learned to return that stare just as sternly. "What is it?" Gibbs finally grumbled.

Vance moved their conversation over to the balcony. They both looked down for a minute. "You see those people down there? Look at their faces. Look at those smiles and laughs. You can't tell me that you're not the least bit jealous of the fun they're having. Look at your team."

Gibbs obeyed and glanced down at his closest friends—his family, really. Abby was weaving around the crowd hugging nearly everyone she saw. There was pure joy on her face and she bounced up and down in excitement. Tim followed her close behind, shaking hands with people. It looked like the party was winding to a close already and they were getting ready to leave. He then saw Palmer and his wife Breena talking to Ducky and eating what was left of the snacks. He could tell that Ducky was telling a story of some Christmas past, most likely of a party he attended years ago. Breena didn't even seem to mind the tale of the old M.E.'s youth. He finally glanced at Tony and Ziva, who were slowly dancing to the song _I'll be Home for Christmas_ by Michael Buble. Gibbs saw the looks on their faces; Tony held Ziva close, swaying gently to the beat. He looked like he never wanted to let go of her, like he was cherishing every moment of their dance. Ziva had a similar look; her eyes were closed and she sighed as if this was the moment she had always wished for. Gibbs knew they thought they were fooling people into thinking this was just a dance between close friends, but honestly the whole office knew about their feelings toward each other…except them.

Vance broke his contemplation. "Gibbs, I'm asking you to participate in all of your team's Christmas festivities this year. That means watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer until your ears bleed, having a nice Christmas meal with your team, and," Vance paused, "getting them all gifts."

"You think that will help me?" Gibbs asked, still gazing down at the squad room.

"I do." Vance nodded.

Gibbs thought this over. It definitely wasn't like him to do this, but then, he couldn't deny that he loved his team like family. He used to go all out for Christmas, and part of him missed that. He made his decision. "Okay."

"What?"

"I'll do it," Gibbs nodded. "I'll celebrate Christmas this year."

 _Tah dah! Since this is a Gibbs-Transformation fic, he probably will seem a bit out of character, but remember, he's becoming a new man (or maybe the old version of himself—the way he was when he had a wife and daughter). I'll do my best to make it as believable as it can be. It's not exactly supposed to be canon-worthy; it's Gibbs FLUFF! And we all like fluff_ _._

 _Future chapters? I hope to make you laugh, cry, and everything in between._

 _Tell me how I did! Christmas time is here folks! Wanna know my Christmas list? Reviews! I'll take size small, medium, and large. They're all great! Reviews help me figure out how to make the following chapters more enjoyable for you._

 _And if you're bored while you await an update on this fic, you can read last year's Christmas fic, NCISanta._

 _Follow and Favorite if you feel so inclined._

 _Thanks for reading! I hope you like it so far. Bye for now!_

 _~NCIS Obsession_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello, finally got around to chapter 2. I'm now on Winter Break (YAY) so more updates are coming. Not sure if this will be done by Christmas though, unfortunately. We'll see._

 _Welp, this chapter really came out of nowhere, but it fit in and turned out nicely. This idea just popped into my head as I stared at a blank Word document (really, the blinking line doesn't help anyone think). Anyway, it's kind of nice to add a second storyline for Gibbs, so here you go. This should also make the story even more heart-warming and interesting._

 _And before we start, one reminder to relieve all concern: Gibbs is not being forced to participate in Christmas, per se. He_ _ **is**_ _willing, just slightly hesitant. Vance isn't being mean by forcing him, he is concerned for his friend who still mourns his lost family from over 2 decades ago. Wallowing in the past would be painful for anyone to watch a friend do when opportunities to cheer yourself up are all around. Just a little note so no one thinks it's super rude for Gibbs to involuntarily participate in Christmas. He does want to, he just doesn't quite know how after so long._

Gibbs opened the door to his house and let himself in, wiping the snow off his shoes as he took off his coat. His thoughts about this Christmas and Vance's words still lingered as he lit a fire in the fireplace and settled down on the couch. He covered himself in a thin blanket and laid his head down on a pillow. Though he closed his eyes, sleep would not come. His mind raced at the nervousness and slight excitement he felt toward getting back into the Christmas spirit. He also couldn't stop thinking about Shannon and Kelly.

He felt a pang in his chest as he thought of them. He missed them every single day, but this time of year, suppressing his longing for his family was more difficult. His hand slipped under the couch cushion and he pulled out the picture he had kept there since their death. As he lay there on the couch staring at his beloved wife and child, he heard a knock on the door.

Confused, he sat up and stuffed the picture back under the cushion. A quick glance at the clock told him it was nearly eleven-thirty at night. He didn't usually go to bed before eleven, but the mixed emotions of the evening had exhausted him. He peeked through the blinds to see who the visitor was that didn't know to come in without knocking, and saw a two people he didn't recognize. He silently opened the door to the brisk night air.

"Hello!" Greeted a woman cheerily. She looked to be in her mid-fifties and had rosy cheeks from the cold. Her hair was slightly frazzled with a dusting of tiny snowflakes. A young woman was standing right behind her, smiling in an almost childlike way. "I'm Carol, this is Erica," The older woman said gesturing to herself and her daughter, Gibbs presumed. "We live just down the street."

"Hi," Gibbs responded quietly.

"Sorry for coming by so late; Erica insisted we bring some cookies over to you." The younger woman blushed. "She's not very patient," she laughed. Erica stepped shyly behind her mother. It was then that Gibbs realized the girl had a mental disability.

"Not a problem," Gibbs assured as the daughter placed a small plate of Christmas cookies into his arms. "Thank you," he said. She grinned and stepped back. Both women were shivering in the cold. "Would you like to come in?" He asked them.

The mother rushed to reassure him that they were fine, "No, no, that's okay. We'd better be going home anyway. Erica doesn't usually stay up this late. Some other time though!"

Gibbs nodded and gave a half smile. "Thanks again."

"You're welcome!" Erica called back as she and her mother walked home.

Slowly, Gibbs shut the door and looked down at the pile of cookies he was still holding. Many questions filled his head. It was an odd encounter; none of his neighbors had socialized with him in quite some time. Many of them had lived there back when Mike Franks was around, so consequently they remembered him for having the friend that was stabbed out in the street that one night. Though it was nothing but a rumor to most of them, it had a tendency to keep people away. He wondered also why Erica had sought him out specifically. He hadn't seen the mother and daughter passing out cookies to all of their neighbors before coming to him. It seemed strange to make cookies for a man that kept to himself so much he might as well be a ghost.

The mystery and kindness of it all made him wonder more and more until he came upon the decision to visit them again sometime. They seemed like friendly people, and having random people treat him kindly wasn't on his everyday agenda. It felt nice after being basically ignored by people outside of work for so long.

There was one quality that hovered above all the rest as well. It may have been what intrigued Gibbs the most. He knew it had been a problem in the past, but he really couldn't help it. She had red hair.

He wouldn't say he's obsessive about red headed women, but all four of his wives shared the trait, along with several "crushes" (like Jenny). It attracted him. He hadn't felt any sort of feeling toward a woman since Director Jenny Shepard died. After that, basically all hope for Gibbs to recover completely was gone.

He sat on his couch. It was a strange night indeed. Was it possible that his new Christmas spirit was already affecting his life? Had it tipped the balance of nature and suddenly everything was working around the idea that Leroy Jethro Gibbs was celebrating Christmas? It was a far-fetched, practically fictional idea made up of nonsense, but Gibbs wanted an explanation, even one that was absurd such as the one that ran through his head. Besides, he didn't believe in coincidences.

It really was odd that some things had been different since his willing agreement to celebrate this year. Things had somewhat returned back to the way they were when Shannon and Kelly were around. Shannon had always been a social butterfly; every neighbor they had absolutely adored her and Kelly. For that reason, every Christmas their kitchen would be covered in baking supplies and the smell of freshly baked cookies filled the air. His girls loved to make people smile, and their gifts of cookies always did the trick for their neighbors. The neighbors frequently returned the gesture with a plate of cookies of their own, not unlike the one Gibbs still held in his hands.

As he looked down at the plate he pulled off the plastic wrap and grabbed a cookie. He hadn't looked at the cookies in detail yet, and he was touched by what he saw. Most cookies were classic gingerbread men or some other festive delicacy. One cookie stood out from the crowd.

It was shaped like a heart, and he could tell it was meticulously done by Carol's daughter, Erica. The American Flag was the background, while the words "Semper Fi" adorned the top. He wondered how they knew he was a Marine. All the more reason to see them again, in his opinion.

He raised one corner of his mouth in a half-smile and took a bite.

As he finally went to bed he found that Carol and Erica would not leave his mind. His fondness toward them was growing, especially toward the mother, much to his surprise. It was a feeling he wasn't used to. As he drifted off to sleep—one of the most peaceful sleeps he had had in years—he still thought of their warm smiles and kind hearts that had reached out to him that evening.

 _What do you think about this addition to the storyline? I have plans to make it fit in nicely. Leave a review! And don't worry, our other favorite characters will make their way into more of the storyline soon._


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, it's really late and I'm super tired, but I really need to begin this by apologizing for leaving this story dormant for 2 whole years. Looks like I need to look up what "yearly" or "annual" means, cause clearly this story isn't it. But I am back, and since this story was last updated I survived Junior and Senior year of High School (barely) and now I'm on winter break from my first semester at college. Yay!**

 **I've always really liked this story and now that it's Christmas again I thought what better time to try to get it done? So here is another chapter, and hopefully there will be more to come soon. It's so nice to actually have time to write again this year.**

 **Please enjoy this, the third chapter of Operation Bring Back Christmas…**

The next day was a Saturday. Because there was no current case, Gibbs was sitting in his basement wearing a hoodie and staring at a glass of bourbon he had poured but not yet drank. He just kept staring at the amber liquid, as if he would answer the question that had been burning in his mind all night long.

Why?

Why him? Why now? Why them?

None of this made sense, and even Gibbs didn't know why, for the first time in a while, he wasn't in the mood to work on his boat or drink whiskey.

Of course, subconsciously, he knew. It was them. Carol and Erica. Two people who, until yesterday, were complete strangers to Leroy Jethro Gibbs. With one simple gesture, those two women had made a difference in Gibbs' life. He didn't feel completely invisible or alone anymore. There were people out there, outside of his workplace, that knew he existed. And more than that: they knew that he mattered.

Something about that idea made Gibbs' chest tingle, and it wasn't the whiskey. The alcohol still remained untouched in the glass.

Setting down his drink and wiping some stray sawdust off his jeans, Gibbs stood to go upstairs. He wasn't entirely sure where he was going, but soon he was out the door and walking down the street through the thick pileup of snow. The storm that had passed through the night before had dumped another layer on the Washington, D.C. area, it seemed.

It may seem silly to go for a walk this early on a Saturday morning, in these conditions no less, but Gibbs knew that he needed to know. He had to find out what this new acquaintance meant for him, for his life. So he trudged down the street in the direction Carol had pointed when she mentioned where she lived. His steps left footprints in the pristine snow, and the cold winter air bit at his face as the wind blew, threatening another incoming snowstorm.

Just as Gibbs was beginning to question how he would find the specific house that Carol and Erica lived in, he spotted her, bundled up and attempting to shovel a very snow-covered driveway.

After briefly considering turning back, Gibbs called out, "Need any help?"

Carol looked up, slightly startled that anyone besides herself was up at 7:00 on a Saturday morning. "Uh, yeah if you really want to," she replied with a laugh. "Here, I have a second shovel," Carol said, rummaging through her garage. "I don't think I ever caught your name," she called, finally emerging with the shovel she had been looking for.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs," he replied, taking the shovel and starting to scoop the snow from the driveway and onto the grass.

Carol removed one of her gloves and shook his hand. "Well, it's nice to meet you, 'Leroy Jethro Gibbs.' Wow, that's quite a mouthful."

Gibbs chuckled. "So, where's Erica?"

Carol smiled, impressed that Gibbs had remembered her daughter's name. "She's still asleep. I figured I'd try to get some of this snow shoveled before she wakes up."

The two shoveled in relative silence for a while longer, with a little bit of small talk sprinkled in. This was definitely uncharted territory for Gibbs. After about an hour, the driveway was finally clear of snow.

As Carol and Gibbs surveyed their work, the front door of the house opened to Erica, who was still in her pajamas. "G'morning mom," she said, obviously still waking up.

Carol made her way to the front step, brushing snow off her coat as she moved along. "Good morning, Erica."

"What are you doing?" she asked, peeking out the door at Gibbs, who was awkwardly standing in the driveway.

Carol, too, glanced behind her at their visitor. "Mr. Gibbs was just helping me shovel the driveway. Did you see all the snow?"

Erica nodded enthusiastically. "Can I help?" she asked, causing Gibbs to smile. This young woman was so incredibly kind and generous.

"Well, I think we're pretty much finished with the shoveling," Carol answered, "But I'll tell you what: if you go change clothes and put on a coat and some snow boots, you can help me put up some Christmas lights."

"Will Mr. Gibbs help too?" Erica asked, smiling excitedly at Gibbs.

Unsure of what to say, Carol turned to ask if that was okay with Gibbs. His lips curled into a smile and he nodded in assent.

"Yep, Mr. Gibbs will help us too."

"Okay!" Erica said, promptly running up the stairs to get ready.

After she had left, Carol walked back to the driveway where Gibbs was still standing. "You really didn't have to do that," Carol said, thanking him with her eyes.

Gibbs shrugged. "I don't mind."

Soon enough, Erica, Carol, and Gibbs were busy untangling strings of lights to hang on the house. Erica was given the task of plugging in the light-up reindeer and setting them up in the front yard.

To Gibbs' surprise, a while later a snowball hit him in the back, just as he was about to string some lights on a tall bush by the front door.

"Erica!" Carol called, shocked by her daughter's behavior around their new acquaintance… friend.

Gibbs smirked, bending down and scooping up a snowball of his own. Erica squealed in delight as he tossed the snowball lightly toward her. It collided with the tree, which Erica was currently hiding behind.

In that moment, Gibbs felt something change inside him. It was completely freezing outside, but he felt like a part of him was thawing… part of him that had been frozen solid for decades. He was actually having fun, goofing around a little. Something he hadn't done, or rather let himself do, since Kelly was alive and they were having snowball fights of their own.

It was a bittersweet moment, and even Carol joined in, chasing Erica around the tree in circles while Gibbs watched from further away, remembering the old times.

Erica fell into the snow, giggling, while also soaking all the clothing she was wearing.

"Oh dear," Carol said, helping her daughter up. "We'd better go get you dried off. At least we got quite a bit of the decorating done." As she helped her Erica to the door, she turned to Gibbs, who was covered in snow as well. "Would you like to come in for hot cocoa? I can light the fireplace and we can all warm up a little."

Gibbs nodded and followed them to their front door, slightly nervous. He hadn't been invited to a neighbor's house in many years. As soon as the door opened, Gibbs was speechless.

It seemed that every inch of the house was covered in Christmas decorations. A beautiful garland, wrapped in ribbon and lights, adorned the stair railing. Of course, the showstopper was the Christmas tree, which was placed in the corner of their cozy living room. It was decorated with a mixture of unique ornaments, beautifully filled with memories and mementos. On top of the tree sat a magnificent glass star, which seemed to reflect all the light around it. They had done a wonderful job of "decking the halls" as the song said.

Carol was busy in the kitchen making some hot cocoa for the three of them while Erica went upstairs to change out of her wet clothes.

After everyone had warmed up, dried off, and drank their hot cocoa, Gibbs stood from the table to leave. Carol followed him to the front door, holding it open for him as he stepped back into the chilly winter wonderland.

Before he could leave, Gibbs turned to face Carol, not entirely sure what he was going to say. All he knew is that this woman in front of him had captured his attention and he needed to see her again. As his own rule states: 'you don't waste good.' This certainly had the prospect of becoming something 'good.'

"Carol," Gibbs began, definitely out of practice. He hadn't been in a relationship in years. "Would you and Erica like to come over for dinner tonight?"

Carol smiled. "We would love to."

After they had worked out the details, Gibbs was on his way back home. At some point during the day, a snowplow had come through the neighborhood, making his return trip much easier than that morning. Gibbs still couldn't believe he had a date. Well, at least he considered it a date. He supposed it still counted even though her daughter was coming too. He had taken a liking to Erica as well, and it seemed she liked him too, if her initiation of the snowball fight was anything to go by.

Gibbs opened the door to his house to see a familiar face sitting on his couch watching TV.

"Abs?"

-.-.-

Abby Sciuto was on her way to Gibbs' house, on a special mission from the Director of NCIS. It was definitely the most fun direct order she had ever received.

Her task was to help Gibbs get his house in shape for hosting Christmas in just a week's time. That meant cleaning, and especially decorating, which Abby was very excited about. She was certainly the right person for the job.

As she drove through Gibbs' neighborhood on the way to where he lived, she nearly ran off the road at the sight of a man that looked just like Gibbs in the middle of a snowball fight. Could it be? No. Definitely not.

Whether it was or wasn't, Abby couldn't keep a secret. So as soon as she arrived at Gibbs' empty house, she sat down and texted all her closest friends from work.

" _You won't believe what I just saw…"_

 **And there you have it.**

 **This chapter was another one with my two OC's, but I promise, I'll work in our favorite agents soon enough. As you can see, Abby made a little appearance at the end, so it should be fun.**

 **This fic is pretty Gibbs-centric (a style I haven't written before) but so far, so good I think.**

 **Thanks so much for reading. Drop a review if you like, and of course follow me or this story to get updates when I post.**

 **Merry Christmas! (soon)**

 **~NCIS Obsession**


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